Microsoft victory in overseas email seizure case is upheld

New York

AN EQUALLY divided US federal appeals court refused to reconsider its landmark decision forbidding the US government from forcing Microsoft Corp and other companies to turn over customer emails stored on servers outside the United States.

Tuesday's 4-4 vote by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan let stand a July 14 decision that was seen as a victory for privacy advocates, and for technology companies offering cloud computing and other services worldwide.

But the dissenting judges said that decision by a three-judge panel could hamstring law enforcement, and called on the US Supreme Court or Co…